US has 2.5M vehicles deemed 'too dangerous to drive.' 237,000 of them are in Florida.
The U.S. has more than 2.5 million vehicles tagged “Do Not Drive” or “Park Outside” that remain unrepaired due to safety recalls. Florida ranks third among 10 others that have more than 70,000 driving on their roads.
Despite efforts by automakers and state and federal governments, Florida has about 237,000 vehicles driving on its roads that have been deemed “too dangerous to drive,” according to recent data from used vehicle retailer Carfax. The state is just behind California and Texas, which together make up about 29% of the 2.5 million similarly marked vehicles around the country.
Vehicles are tagged “Do Not Drive” when a serious safety issue has been identified that could lead to an accident or physical harm. A “Park Outside” recall is issued for vehicles with a high risk of causing a fire. Its name is a literal indication to park the vehicle outside of garages and away from structures.
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Biggest vehicle recalls
One of the biggest recalls that affected about 400,000 cars in Florida was the Takata airbag recall. This recall was issued in 2014 and affected more than 65 million airbags in specific vehicles between the model years 2001 and 2015, creating one of the largest recalls in history.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says 23 people in the U.S. have been killed because of the exploding airbags and more than 400 people have been injured. These airbags have had an issue with their chemical composition and have, at times, seen the metal that encases the airbag turn into shrapnel inside the car’s cabin.
Some cars were more affected than others by the Takata recall, including 2001-2003 Honda and Acura vehicles with “alpha” bags, 2006 Ford Ranger and Mazda B-Series pickup trucks and 1999 BMW 323i and 328i.
Vehicles not part of the above group still need to get a replacement airbag.
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Other notable recalls include more than 3,100 Hyundai and Kia models that have caught fire nationwide. NHTSA says that one person has been killed and more than 100 have been injured.
And General Motors says 19 Chevrolet Bolt EV electric cars have caught fire, but there have been no reports of injury or death.
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Full list of ‘Do Not Drive’ and ‘Park Outside’ vehicles
There are about 200 vehicles from many automakers over many model years that have been affected. Below are the vehicles facing either a Do Not Drive recall or a Park Outside recall:
How to find out if your car has been affected by a recall
Finding out if your car is affected by a vehicle safety recall is a simple task — all you need is your 17-character Vehicle Identification Number. Your VIN can sometimes be found on the lower driver-side windshield, but it can also be found inside the driver-side door.
Once you have your VIN, head over to the NHTSA website and enter it into the site’s VIN search tool. This tool will show unrepaired vehicles affected by a safety recall issued in the past 15 years.
What to do if your car is affected by a recall
If you have an open recall, immediately get your vehicle repaired for free at a local dealership. Follow the steps indicated by the response to your VIN search. Your vehicle’s manufacturer is required by law to address your recall and offer a free repair.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Florida car recalls are 3rd highest in US: How to check on your car
